Give A Big ShoutOut! to Girl Scouts Supporting Shelter Animal Rights!

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**What could have been an outpouring of support for the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay became a barrage of racial insults** during a public meeting about an animal shelter. The young ladies of Troop 176 decided to show their support for shelter animals, speaking against alleged overcrowding and neglect in the county animal control facility. Adults in attendance met the girls with derision, scorn, and outright racism.

A Buddy For Life is the organization paid to run the county facility, and was under fire for the situation at the shelter. During a surprise visit, a Cecil County Councilor and licensed veterinarian found neglectful conditions rife with filth and excrement, abuse, emaciation, overcrowding, and skin disease, all prevalent despite taxpayer support of $60,000 per month. The girls arrived at the meeting with homemade signs protesting the cruelty, but were taken aback at the remarks that adult community members directed towards them - accusing them of everything from being coached to being animals.

"They were saying, 'Go back to Baltimore where you belong,'" said 13-year-old troop member Arianna Spurlock. "And they started pointing out me and my sisters... They were calling us, like animals and stuff. And I didn't really know why because if they are calling us animals, aren’t they supposed to be helping animals?"

As tempers rose, a troop leader defended her fellow scouts and attempted to tone things down, calling for a stop to the racial slurs. The insults didn't let up, but they didn't stop the scouts either; the girls say they will continue to stand up for animal rights. "We, as kids, we always were taught, if you didn’t have anything nice to say don't say it at all." said 11-year old troop member Lily Talley. "They should have done that."

**Let's thank these young ladies for standing up for animals and for leading by example!**